Pain is Better When You Have Someone to Share It
by Feares Solen
Summary: Inuyasha and the gang get caught in one of Naraku's traps, resulting in the loss of all of Inuyasha's friends. Kouga pities the hanyou and decides to stay with him during the time that he moves on. How will this affect the two rivals' feelings toward each
1. Uncertain Feelings Come Out

Welcome, welcome, welcome to my first Inuyasha fanfic! This fic is rated for some cursing and violence. Might change in the future. Also, this fic is yaoi! That means boyxboy love! If you aren't cool with that then click the back button...

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Disclaimer: I do not own Inuyasha (unfortunately ;;). It does, however, belong to the great Rumiko Takahashi.

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Summary: Inuyasha and the gang get caught in one of Naraku's traps, resulting in the loss of all of Inuyasha's friends. Kouga pities the hanyou and decides to stay with him during the time that he moves on. How will this affect the two rivals' feelings toward each other?

"..." regular speech  
'...' thoughts

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Chap.1-Uncertain Feelings Come Out

"Damn you! Die bastard!"

Inuyasha and co. were on their way back to Kaede's from another wild goose chase. Kagome had thought she felt a shikon jewel shard, but it was only one of Naraku's traps. When they arrived at the spot she said she sensed it, they were ambushed by a demon that looked like a dragon in a green bird costume. Miroku had tried to suck it in to his Kazana earlier, but stopped when he saw Naraku's bugs flying around. When the demon saw he was distracted, he grabbed him by the neck and threw him against the tree. Naturally Sango ran over to help him and was knocked unconscious by one of the demon's flailing arms. Inuyasha was still weakened from a fight that had happened earlier that week and wasn't as agile as he usually was and was now being pinned down by the ravenous beast. Kagome was hiding behind a tree with Shippou shouting at Inuyasha. The demon finally noticed her and was charging towards her. Because of his injuries, he couldn't catch it.

"NOOOOO! KAGOME!"

Inuyasha was stopped in his tracks by a tornado of brown and black and the dragon demon flew backwards. Inuyasha reopened his eyes that he had closed from the shock of the tornado, and frowned at what he saw. Holding Kagome in his arms and standing over the dragon was everyone's favorite wolf prince. He was, as usual, trying to convince Kagome that she was safer with him and his tribe. If one were looking close enough, they would see the steam coming out of Inuyasha's ears.

"HEY FLEABAG! WHAT THE HELL DO YOU THINK YOU'RE DOING!" he yelled out stepping up to the wolf as he put Kagome down.

"What does it look like mutt? I'm saving my woman," Kouga stated moving some wayward strands of hair from in front of his eyes. He stepped even closer to the irate hanyou and huffed. "Ya know mutt…you're nowhere near the trouble she goes through for you."

That was it for Inuyasha. He had far too much of the wolf prince and tackled him to the ground. The two tumbled and tussled down a hill, crushing everything from blossoming, pink flowers to life stealing weeds. The two continued to roll until their momentum was slowed by the myriad of rocks littered across the field. When they had finally come to an end, both males were covered in different colored bruises and bloody cuts. Both boys stumbled to their feet and faced each other, snarling but still panting. The sounds of a blood-curdling scream came from further up the hill. The males' looks of hatred turned to one of fear as they realize that they had left the dragon demon unattended to as they tended to killing each other. They raced up the hill with Kouga getting there first. Inuyasha hurried after him, his eyes closed trying to erase the worst of thoughts from his mind. As he tried to calm his spirits, he ran into the back of his rival. Expecting the wolf to yell at him, he prepped his claws. When nothing happened, he opened his eyes and walked around him.

"Hey wolf…what's your deal just standing there?"

He received no answer from the man in front of him. The wolf's pale blue eyes were paler than ever as he stared seemingly past Inuyasha's shoulder. Inuyasha turned around himself to see what had captured the prince's attention. He soon regretted that decision as he saw the splotches of blood seeping into every crevice on the field. The bodies of his comrades were nowhere to be seen though. As he walked around the battlegrounds, his mind tried to assure him that maybe they had escaped before the demon did anything serious.

'If that were true, why is there blood everywhere and why is there no sound of them in the area? I know they can be fast when they have too, but the demon was way faster and would have caught up...'

Panic was now beginning to radiate from the hanyou as more 'worst case scenarios' played through his head. A thought struck him though. Before Kagome was attacked, Miroku had been knocked against a tree and was badly injured. Also, Sango was unconscious so they couldn't have traveled very far with just Kagome and Shippou being unharmed.

'WAIT! KAGOME! She screamed before Kouga and I got up here! Dammit! What's happened to them!'

Inuyasha was so caught up in his thinking that he didn't sense Kouga walking up behind him. When he felt the other's hand against his shoulder, he jumped and quickly turned around. His anger came back and was about to be unleashed upon the wolf until he noticed the pained look in the other's eyes.

"Oi Kouga...What is it? Can you sense the others anywhere? Are they all right! Answer me dammit!"

He grabbed the other's shoulders and began shaking him until Kouga grabbed his wrist in a firm grasp. Kouga looked up from the ground to his rival's eyes. Inuyasha had never seen such a look before. The pain and fear showing in Kouga's eyes were beyond anything that he could imagine. Staring into his eyes were beginning to make him feel a little unease so he diverted his attention to a leaf-less tree behind Kouga, but still looked like he was looking into the other's eyes. They stayed in that position for a good five minutes before Kouga began to release his hold on Inuyasha's wrists and point to a small item a little far beyond the battle grounds. The hanyou let go of Kouga's shoulders and walked over to a green ribbon torn around the edges and covered in blood that neither of the males hoped to smell so strongly. The silver-haired male bent down to pick it up, the crimson fluid sliding down his arms into his sleeves. His eyes widened at the smell his nose was now just being assaulted with. The scent of death hovered around the area like a dense fog. He didn't know why he hadn't smelt it before, but now that he had, he didn't know what to do. Inuyasha fell to his knees to examine the ribbon more closely and so that when bent over to look at it, his hair hid his crystal tears from view. It didn't matter though since the demon prince could smell the saltiness of it. He walked over to where the hanyou was bent over the fabric. Since he had first met Kagome, he had been in love with her, but the few months that he had known her and the few battles they had shared together was nothing compared to the things she went through with Inuyasha. He knew that the half-breed loved her and that the feeling was mutual on the other end, but he just couldn't get his mind and heart to accept it. Although he was suffering from the loss of Kagome, he felt truly sorry for the hanyou. He bent down and wrapped his arms around Inuyasha's shoulders and rubbed his back as Inuyasha finally released the tears that he had been holding. Kouga's eyes widened in surprise when he felt his former rival's body lean closer into the embrace and buried his head in the nook between Kouga's shoulder and neck, his body shaking from him crying. Kouga sat down all the way on the ground and pulled Inuyasha closer and lied his head down on top of the other's. His stomach fluttered and his cheeks burned from the action, but the wolf dismissed it as an effect of being around the smell for so long. He felt Inuyasha's body stop and breathing even out signifying that he was asleep. Kouga looked up into the sky seeing the sun stubbornly burning behind evergreen hills and the stars slowly beginning to show themselves. He lied the other down and stared up at the sky until sleep finally overcame him and he drifted off.

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\Hate it? Love it? Review and let me know! 


	2. Time to Move On

Welcome to the second chapter of "Pain is Better When You Have Someone to Share It"! Although I had planned to post this a few days ago, I had graduation plans to worry about (in high school now. YAY!) so I'm posting it now. Anyways, thanks to everyone that read and/or replied!

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Disclaimer: I still don't own Inuyasha...

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"..." regualr speech

'...' thoughts

_italics_ flashback/memory

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Chap.2-Time to Move On

It had been almost a week since Kagome and the others' disappearance and Inuyasha had become worse than he was when it happened. His skin had formed into a ghost-like pallor, the dark bags under his eyes contrasting with his skin. Kouga had become concerned about Inuyasha's condition not to long after the incident.

_Kouga had just gotten back from hunting in a forest not to far from the deserted town that they were camping in. He walked into the hut they shared and threw the scaly, still flopping bodies of trout on the mat along with a couple of carefully picked wild grasses and fruit. He had thought it best to get a variety of things since he didn't know what the half-breed liked._

_"Oi mutt, I brought you somethin to eat. You can take as much as you like, I already ate."_

_The demon went to a corner on the opposite side of the room and looked at Inuyasha. He hadn't reached for any of the foods Kouga had brought him, the fish slowly dying in vain. Kouga disregarded the hanyou's actions (or lack of) as a sign that he didn't like any of the things. He frowned and walked back over to him._

_"You ok there half-breed?" He nudged Inuyasha a little with his foot. "Ya know, if you don't like any of it, you could just say so..."_

_Inuyasha just stared ahead with blank, amber eyes, no longer sparkling with the excitement and determination to keep living that resided there. Kouga bent down and looked into his eyes and reached out for the other's shoulder before having his hand smacked away._

_"I know what you're thinking. I don't need or want your pity wolf. Just take your food and go. I don't need you...I don't need anyone...I didn't before...I don't need anyone now!" With that he ran out of the hut, not returning until the next morning._

Remembering this, Kouga decided to do something. It's not like he actually wanted the dog to live, but that Kagome would have wanted him to. He looked ahead at the half-demon walking, slouched over, down the road. Kouga furrowed his eyebrows and walked faster until he was alongside Inuyasha. He grabbed the other's shoulder and turned him around. Inuyasha had his head bent over, his messy, silver bangs hiding his eyes from the wolf's view. After a few minutes, he looked up and stared blankly into Kouga's pale blue eyes waiting for some sort of answer as to why he was disturbed. Kouga began to open his mouth, but hesitated. Now that he had Inuyasha's attention, what was he going to say? If it was someone else, he would have tried to encourage them to keep going with kind words, but this was Inuyasha. His former rival for Kagome's heart. He can't just start saying how much people need the other without sounding fake so he did the only thing he knew of to get Inuyasha active.

"Oi dog breath, you're really pathetic. Ya know that?" Inuyasha continued staring so Kouga kept going. "If you were a real man, you would've gotten over this already. It's a shame Kagome died loving someone li---" He was cut off by Inuyasha grabbing his neck, claws scraping against the skin, but not drawing blood.

"Watch what you say wolf."

Inuyasha eyes changing from a look of deep pain and sorrow into one of anger and tenacity, the same look that he had before whenever his and Kouga's paths crossed. Kouga smirked and cocked his head to the side.

"That's better. I was wondering when you were going to return back to normal."

He removed Inuyasha's hand from around his neck as easy as if he was tearing paper and walked off down the road leaving a very confused and still mad hanyou.

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Sorry for the shortness. Let me know what you think! 


	3. Love is Harder than it Looks

So sorry everyone! I've been busy with band camp and all that jazz so I haven't had time to work on the story. Forgive me! I wanna thank everyone who read and give double thanks to those who reviewed. Thankies everyone! Anyways, on to the story! Oh...due to my dislike of those lines, I'm just gonna have x's for now (··;). Ok...now on to the story!

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Disclaimer: Still don't own Inuyasha...(..)

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"..." regular speech

'...' thoughts

_ italics_ flashback/memory

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Chap.3-Love is Harder than it Looks

Inuyasha had been totally confused by the way Kouga had been acting. Lately he had become clingy and acted as though nothing had ever happened. Like everything was just a bad dream that they'd shared, but Inuyasha knew better than that. For the first couple of days, he had deprived himself of everything trying to convince himself that it was a dream. That somewhere Sango was slapping Miroku for being a pervert and Shippou eating some random sweet from the future, That somewhere out there, Kagome was waiting for him with open arms and wearing the smile that would always make Inuyasha's stomach jump. Unfortunately, what had happened was real. He looked up at the wolf demon sitting on the other side of the campfire across from him eating and glared. The victim of Inuyasha's glare looked up from his food and innocently tilted his head to the other side.

"Eh...What's wrong? You want some of this?" Kouga held up his bowl of rice and gestured for Inuyasha to take it.

"Aarrg...," Inuyasha closed his eyes and growled in aggravation, "You dumb wolf! I don't want your fucking food!" He knocked Kouga's food out of his hands.

Kouga's eyes turned to the wasted grains of rice.

"I was going to finish eating that if you didn't want it," he said, using the makeshift chopsticks to scoop the rice back into the bowl.

"Dammit Kouga! How could you be so fucking oblivious to what has happened! Don't you care at all!" Inuyasha's eyes began to cloud over with the pain he felt from losing his friends.

Kouga finished cleaning up the rice and walked over to the hanyou's shaking body and wrapped his arms around him.

Inuyasha's eyes widened at the demon prince's touch. He felt a burning sensation rise into his cheeks and leaned into the embrace.

'I don't know what that stupid wolf thinks he doing, but...I wouldn't mind if he did it more often.'

'Oy...What am I doing! Just remember Kouga, this is what Kagome would want. She'd want him to be happy.'

"Of course I care about it, but nothing can be accomplished just dwelling on it. It may be hard in the beginning, but moving on is the best thing you can do right now. Do you really think your friends would want you to be like this? A shell of your former self?" He laid his head down on Inuyasha's shoulder and continued, "I know that I'm the last person you'd want to be around right now and I sure as hell would rather be with my tribe than with you, but I know that the last thing you need is to be alone in this state. If you really want me to leave, tell me, but just to let you know, I intend to stay with you until you're back to normal." With that, Kouga released Inuyasha and walked back to his side of the camp and laid down.

All Inuyasha could do was stare at the wolf's back and lifted his hand up to his cheeks. When Kouga laid his head on Inuyasha's shoulder, the burning feeling in his cheeks had intensified and his heart began to beat faster. He sat down and stared into the fire. What Kouga had said was true. He really should move on, but how could he when pretty much all he knew had just been changed dramatically. His mind was racing at 100 miles per hour going over the last week with Kouga, what the wolf demon had said to him, and then what he felt when the prince embraced him. Inuyasha's eyes snapped open wider than he had ever had them as he realized what he felt. The feeling in his cheeks, his heart rate increasing, he even felt a little something in his stomach. In the past, the only people that could make him react like that were Kikyo and Kagome. People that he had feelings for. People that he loved. Inuyasha looked at Kouga's back once more. He furrowed his brows and turned the other way. There was no way in hell that he could love that stupid, flea ridden, sad excuse for a wolf...Or was there?

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Oy, sorry for the OOCness and the shortness. I'd like to have at least three more reviews before I post the next chapter so please review!


	4. When All Seems Lost

Sorry I've been away for so long. I didn't have any time this summer and now school's back in. sigh Just crazy. Thanks to the people who read and double thanks to those who reviewed! gives them little Inuyasha plushies

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Disclaimer: I own this story, the computer the story is on, and this awesome black and red Inuyasha shirt from Hot Topic.

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"..." regular speech  
'...' thoughts  
italics flashback/memory

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Chap.4-When All Seems Lost

Inuyasha looked ahead at Kouga's back in thought. He had stayed up all night thinking on whether or not he felt something for the wolf. He continued walking until he bumped into him.

"OI BAKA! Watch where you're not going! Do yo---"

Kouga cut him off, shoving his finger in the hanyou's face. "Do you smell that Inuyasha?"

Inuyasha sniffed the air and froze. "Blood."

"Yeah...and the stench of a dragon demon."

Inuyasha's eyes widened as Kouga turned to face him.

"It's the same one Inuyasha. I don't think you should go. It's no---"

"What the hell do you mean I shouldn't go! That demon killed my friends! If anyone should kill it, it's me." He pushed pass Kouga with his hand on the hilt of Tetsusaiga, but tensed when he felt a hand grab his shoulder. "Let me go wolf. I'll take care of this myself."

"Inuyasha! Look at you! Not only have you lost a lot of strength, but your emotions might get the better of you! You could die!" Kouga tried to reason with him.

Inuyasha smirked and turned towards Kouga whose anger currently showed on his face. Inuyasha noticed a little something else in the wolf's eyes. Inuyasha kept his face stoic as he replied, "You're right Kouga. I could die," he turned away and, while Kouga was about to turn him around again, sucker-punched him with the hilt of his sword knocking him out. He pulled Kouga into a small cave where he'd be safe. "Sorry, but I'd rather die than live in a world without everyone else."

He sprinted off into the forest and quickly made it to the edge of the village. It was relatively small so the little fires were spreading quickly. Without a second thought, he ran into the burning village looking through the windows of the blackened, one-room houses for survivors. His ears twitched and jumped to the left, narrowly missing the demon whose outstretched claws would have cut him in half. He picked himself up and drew his sword before the demon could react.

"I might not have been able to protect Kagome and the others from you, but today you will die!" He rushed towards the demon, arms in position for a wind scar, but before he could do anything the dragon demon grabbed the Tetsusaiga and threw him away from it.

"You stupid half-breed. Did you actually think you could defeat me?" He laughed ravenously, the malice in his voice clearly showing. "You are a fool. I almost feel sorry for your friends. Having someone like you to protect them. A lot of good you'll do now!"

The demon began bringing his claws down. Inuyasha closed his eyes so he wouldn't see his death coming. Oddly, it never came. He opened one eye, then the other and looked up. Kouga was standing in front of him, restraining the dragon demon from making any more moves.

"Hey mutt! Go now! I'll take care of him! Get to safety!" With that he tossed the dragon into a nearly burnt down house behind him.

Inuyasha just stood staring at him blankly. 'The demon said that he felt sorry for them, having me to protect them. They're dead though. How could I protect them any? Unless...' He was pulled out of his thinking by Kouga's jab to his left cheek. He put his hand up to where the hit impacted. "Kouga..."

"Get out of here now! I did not stay with you all this time to let you die! I would never forgive myself if I failed Kagome by letting you commit suicide like this. Now go! I don't want you in the way while I'm pounding this guy into the ground," he finished nodding in the direction of the house and smirked cockily.

Inuyasha grinned equally arrogant. "Try not to hurt yourself wimpy wolf."

"Heh. Why don't you worry 'bout your own self you stupid fleabag."

They gave each other one last look before Inuyasha took off into the forest and Kouga watched him.

'Go Inuyasha. It's best like this.'

Kouga turned around facing the demon who had gotten himself up and was currently overflowing with rage.

"Heh. Came back for another round?" Kouga tauntingly shook his hand towards the demon.

"You shall perish for your foolishness wolf. Then after I kill you, I'll go to your tribe and feast on their bones as well."

"I'd like to see you try you bastard."

With that the battle started.

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Inuyasha rolled over in his tree. It had been a good 3 months since Kouga had told him to leave and let him fight. After an hour, he went to see if Kouga had slew the demon already and just went to sleep there, but there was nothing. Most of the village had burned down. He walked around calling for him, anybody, to answer. Nothing but the smell of smoke in his nostrils and the faint whispering of the wind answered him. The only thing left of Kouga's existence there was a spot of blood in the dirt. Inuyasha pulled out a container and sniffed the contents. After nearly committing suicide, he bottled Kouga's blood so that he would have at least the smell of someone with him. He sighed and looked at himself in a puddle below. His eyes were slightly sunken in and his skin was a pasty color. At first glance, you'd never be able to tell that his hair was white before. Somehow, his clothes remained intact although hanging off of his emaciated body. He wasn't starving himself, but he wasn't going out to hunt either. He rolled over again, not wanting to look at how pathetic he had become anymore. He looked over to the Testusaiga. It was becoming mighty welcoming right about now. He reached out and unsheathed it. The untransformed blade glimmered slightly in the slight light from the setting sun. He looked at the bottled dirt once more.

'I'm sorry Kouga, but I can't exist like this. I need someone else. I need my friends. I need Kagome. I need...you.'

He placed the blade above his heart, ready to run it through until he heard a familiar voice.

"Inuyasha! I-nu-ya-sha!"

Inuyasha gave a weak laugh. He could've sworn he could here Miroku calling him. The spirits must've sent him to take his soul. He readied the blade once more, but was interrupted once more as the word 'sit' echoed through the forest. Inuyasha stared wide-eyed ahead of him and was flipped on his back. He squinted adjusting to the light above him. He blinked a few times and finally focused on the five figures above him smiling. They lifted him up and brushed him off.

"Thank goodness you're still alive Inuyasha! We've been looking for you for months. After Naraku's demon came we all split up and when we went back, you were gone. It's been real...Inuyasha, what's wrong?"

Inuyasha's eyes had begun to flood with tears. He wasn't dreaming. Standing in front of him were the shapes of his companions. The same smell, look, sound. He began crying and hugged them all. All was not lost.

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Hope you liked it. I might not be able to update much due to my site and school and whatnot, but I'll try. Remember, more reviews means hopefully quicker updates! ;)


	5. In the End

Chap.5-In the End

It had been five years since Inuyasha and the group met up again. They had long since found Naraku and defeated him. Miroku finally 'popped the question' and married Sango. The two currently live in the rebuilt and repopulated village of the demon slayers. Kagome went back to her own time, but stops by random times or on vacations. Shippou stayed with Kaede and helped out with small odd jobs that she didn't have time for. Inuyasha, however, was not faring as well as the others. Yeah, things had been way simpler since they defeated Naraku, but with everyone doing they're own thing, he had nothing to do. Usually he'd have Kagome to argue with, but she'd went back to her own time and was helping to run the temple. The wind blew gently as if to pat him on the shoulder and he brushed his hair out of his face. Kagome had offered to cut it, but he'd instantly declined.

'I wonder what he would say if I actually did cut it...Probably wouldn't even recognize me.'

Inuyasha had long admitted that he was indeed in love with Kouga. There really wasn't any choice for him in the matter anyways. Kagome had begun to notice that she wasn't getting as much attention from the hanyou as she had in the past. Of course she told Sango who then chewed said hanyou out for hurting Kagome's feelings. Miroku just happened to listen on their conversation and had a "discussion" with Inuyasha later that night. After about an hour or so denying that there was another woman out there, he told Miroku about his revelation. Shippou had been awakened due to the argument and feigned sleep. When he heard Inuyasha's confession, he practically screamed it loud enough for the people overseas to hear.

'Oy...He wouldn't come near me for days.'

"Inuyasha! Inuyasha! I know you hear me! Kaede says that you need to get down from there and help you lazy bum!"

Inuyasha looked down to see a particular, loudmouth kitsune looking up at him. Although it had only been five years, that was all it took for Shippou to have one heck of a growth spurt. His reddish-brown hair had become thicker and fell down his back in a high ponytail. The women of the village had made him a few outfits, one of which he was wearing now. Inuyasha hopped down from the tree in front of him.

"What do you want runt?"

"I'm not a runt Inuyasha! I'm almost as tall as you! And I just told you! Kaede wants you to help out or something!" Shippou's eyes were shut tight and his hands were balled into a fist in a futile attempt to get his point through to the uninterested hanyou. He opened his eyes and looked up. Inuyasha was currently looking into the forest. Shippou waved his hands a few times in Inuyasha's face and tugged on his hair. "Hey...You listening? Heellooo..."

"I hear you." Inuyasha turned around, white hair swirling about in the increasing winds. "Tell the old hag that I'll be back later. I think somethin's out there. Gonna check it out."

"Alright," Shippou said starting back the other way, "But you better be back in time for lookout duties!"

He watched the fox run back towards the village for a while and then started for the forest. After a few steps he stopped. Whatever that was there had gone deeper in.

'It's luring me.'

He took another step only to have whatever it is go farther back. He furrowed his brows and busted into a sprint after the thing. It only took five minutes to catch up with it and tackle it to the ground.

"Alright! Who a---GINTA! What the hell do you think you're doing! I could've killed you idiot!" He hopped off the wolf and stood up. "What do you want anyways?"

Ginta looked around nervously and wrung his hands. "Oy...Sorry Inuyasha. I'm not supposed to be here. I had to sneak away." He looked around once more.

"Wait...Sneak here? Why? What's going on?"

"Well you see, Hakkaku and I were just walking along hunting one day when we saw this ball of fur. We're thinkin' it's an easy meal so when we go over there and turn it, it's actually Kouga."

Inuyasha's eyes widened so much it looked like they could've held the moon in them. "Kouga's...He's...He's alive?"

Ginta looked down. "Just barely. When we found him, he was unconscious. We tried everything to wake him up. After awhile, we were gonna give up, but he started making a mumbling noise. Then he got louder. Hakkaku and I weren't really sure what to do when we made out what he was saying. We asked the others in the tribe and they said to just put him out of his misery. They weren't too happy that he left all that time to help you and your friends out."

Inuyasha still looked stunned that Kouga was still alive. After five years without having any sense that he was still on this plane, he could finally see him again.

"Wait...I'm still not getting why you aren't supposed to be here."

"Well, since Kouga isn't exactly in good enough health to run the clan, someone else is. Hakkaku and I were overheard planning to have you come and save Kouga so we were put to work. Hakkaku is stalling for me as we speak. We don't have long though. They're planning on putting Kouga to rest at sundown."

"What! Why didn't you say so to begin with idiot! Let's go now!" Inuyasha grabbed Ginta and blazed through the trees.

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Kouga was running through a forest. He didn't know where he was or why he was there in the first place. He slowed to a stop and looked around to survey his surroundings. He was in a clearing surrounded by identical dark trees. There was something following him. It had not shown itself, but his keen senses could smell it, taste the other presence in the air. It was getting closer. He took off into a sprint again until he came to field that stretched as far as the eye could see. Kouga looked up as he heard the sounds of birds in the sky. The sun was out, but it still looked eerily dark out. As he focused on the sky, a pair off hands wrapped themselves around his waist. He spun around to look into a pair of gold eyes. Although the silver bangs blocked most of his view, he noticed that the eyes were clouded-over with a multitude of emotions, some of which the wolf couldn't make out.

"Hey wolf." the silver head leaned forward so that their noses were almost touching.

"Inuyasha, were you following me just now?" Kouga was subtly trying to back away from the hanyou, but the arms around his waist kept him in place.

"Hmm...," Inuyasha nuzzled into Kouga's somehow freed hair, "You smell nice koi. Like...rain and earth." He inhaled more of Kouga's hair.

Thoroughly creeped out by what was going on and Inuyasha's behavior, Kouga uppercutted the hanyou in his jaw and backed away while Inuyasha fell.

"Stupid wolf...I'll have to kill you for that." Inuyasha's body slowly mutated into a creature with scales and feathers. Red eyes looked up at Kouga as his body fully changed.

"YOU! So this is where you went!"

"Foolish wolf. You were so caught up in saying good-bye to that half-breed that you didn't realize the blow I inflicted on you when you turned."

If Kouga's eyes got any bigger, they could've been used as baseballs. His mind began flooding with memories of the battle. Inuyasha ran off and he turned to face the demon. Instead of entering a verbal assault match like he thought, he remembered a large piece of lumber connecting with his head. But what of all the images he had been seeing. He saw himself killing the demon and going back to Inuyasha. They had stayed with each other for about a year until the hanyou realized his duties towards that village of his. They parted with the standard insults and went on. He saw himself going back to the clan, Ginta and Hakkaku piling concern over concern on him. Then...this. What the HELL was going on.

"What did you do?"

"After I knocked you out, I went inside of your head. I figured that Inuyasha would eventually come after you so I took control while you dreamt. I set everything up like you died. You should've seen the look on your beloved hanyou's face. Pure bliss. Poor guy almost committed suicide. Too bad his wretched friends came and stopped him. Everything was going so according to plan. I was just going to straight out kill all of them, but I came up with a better plan. Beat your body up a bit then throw it in the river. Your friends came and fished you out. Knowing that they'd do anything for you, I called for Inuyasha. Your clan members saw through my facade and sentenced you to death. Ginta just left to retrieve Inuyasha. When he arrives, I'll rip his and the wolf's throat out. I suppose I could devour your body once I'm done with it," the demon finished laughing triumphantly.

Kouga glared at him and flexed his fist. "Like hell you will!"

He dove at the green, feathered creature that easily dodged his punch. He stopped on one foot and swung the other around for a roundhouse. The demon was sent flying back into the now blackening forest. He looked toward the sky. The sun that was once hanging above had vanished. Even the clouds weren't visible. Kouga looked back down as something grabbed his legs. The flowers that had once littered the ground were now small hands grasping at him in the black grass. The fingers got a good grip on the furry armor and pulled him down while all he could do was gape at what was going on. His eyes snapped from his mindless staring and struggled against the fingers grappling his arms and hair. The darkness that had engulfed the forest and grass was now passing through the sky. Kouga looked towards the sound of footsteps padding their way slowly towards him, the sounds of the fingers' bones crushing beneath the feet resonated in his ears. The feet, or rather talons, were standing before him. One rose and hovered above his chest then there was nothing but darkness.

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Inuyasha and Ginta had been running for hours across grassy plains, deep rivers, and even deeper forests. He was starting to get bored and a bored Inuyasha is not a good Inuyasha. He stopped mid-run when he saw the wolf fall behind him on his knees.

"OY! Get up! If we want to make it before dark!"

He ran over to the wolf and tried to pick him up.

"Inuyasha! Stop! We have enough time for a bre---"

Ginta's eyes widened as he peered at the figure behind Inuyasha.

"Hey. what's your problem?"

GInta rose a trembling hand over the hanyou's shoulder and opened his mouth attempting to say something, but only successfully imitating a fish. White hair soon filled it as Inuyasha whipped his head around to see what was behind him. Golden eyes nearly popped out of their sockets as he saw who stood before him. The surprised wolf in his hands long forgotten fell out of his hands and on to the ground unceremoniously.

"K...Kouga?"

"Hey mutt. Long time no see."

Kouga's deep voice resonated through furry ears on Inuyasha's head. How long had it been since he last heard it. Small streams of tears slowly made their way down Inuyasha's face. Before they reached the edge of his chin, they were flying in the air behind the running hanyou. In a streak of red and white, he tackled the wolf to the gorund in a tight, embracing hug.

"My gods...It really is you. Kouga...You...You finally came back...You finally came back to me."

Tanned hands found themselves stroking behind soft ears soothing the half-breed. A gentle smile played upon Kouga's face as he lifted the head resting on his chest. Wavering gold eyes stared up into his own pale blue ones. He leaned foward, closing the space between them to only an inch.

"Don't worry. I don't plan on leaving anytime soon."

"I...I thought you were dead! I came back to see if you needed help and you were gone. You just vanished...Why did you leave me?"

His eyes ran over with tears again. He smirked humorlessly inside himself.

'Look at me. I'm sitting here crying like an infant. He's probably disgusted, but I can't help it. This changed I've suffered because of him. I think Kagome called it 'getting in touch with my emotions.' I wish this moment could last. Just to stay in his arms like this so he can't leave me again.'

Kouga noticed the withdrawn look on his face and lifted the chin back up so he could stare into Inuyasha's eyes once more.

"Inuyasha, I told you. I'm not leaving you again. I want to stay with you. Until the end of our days. Until death takes us both..."

Inuyasha nuzzled into the soft fur of the wolf prince's armor. Strong hands wrapped around his back, the long fingers of one hand slowly stroking down towards the small of his back. He heard the scream of Ginta telling him to get out of the way, but by the time he acted, it was too late. Inuyasha rolled to the side, blood streaming down his back. He could feel it sliding down into the waistband of his hakama.

"Damn it. Well the HELL is wrong with you Kouga!"

"Inuyasha! I don't think that's Kouga!"

"Heh. Too bad it's too late for the both of you. I've come to kill you Inuyasha and I'm not leaving until your blood drenches the earth!"

At that, 'Kouga' leapt out at Inuyasha, claws bared. Claws met silk-like hair and pulled on it sharply, failing Inuyasha's attempt at getting out of the way.

"Grah!" Inuyasha spun around as much as he could, his fist connecting with the wolf's jaw. "Bastard! What have you done with Kouga!"

"Heh. Can't you tell half-breed? He's standing right here in front of you." 'Kouga' finished with a mocking laugh at the hanyou's confused, but angered face.

Inuyasha began to pull out the Testuaiga until he heard Ginta's shout of concern. That distraction was all 'Kouga' needed to slash out at Inuyasha and knock him to the ground. The blood from his now broken arm flowed from under his sleeve and streamed between his fingers. The drawn Testuaiga was some distance away from him and would be impossible to reach before the wolf saw him.

"So pathetic. Just like your Kouga. His mind was simple to control and manipulate. I was actually somewhat dissappointed. All that work and planning and following you two just to have him in my grasps within a few seconds. I will say though that it was very entertaining to watch you suffer over his 'death.' If only your friends hadn't interfeered. If they really cared for you, they would have let you kill yourself. No matter, I can always go after them later. First, you die!"

Inuyasha closed his eyes as he saw the claw coming down towards him. If it were the demon himself, he'd have been able to keep them open. He didn't think he could spend the rest of his afterlife replaying the scene of the one he loved killing him. His ears picked up the sound of an arrow passing over his head and the thump of a body hitting the ground. His golden eyes opened to see Kouga's body some feet away and enveloped in a strange, green light. The light drifted from the body some and solidified into the body of the dragon demon.

"You wench! How dare you repel me from him! I'll have your spine for thi---"

The demon had no time to react or finish his sentence by the time he saw the huge boomerang headed his direction. It sliced clean through his middle and flew back into the hands of its owner. He didn't reply to the shouts of concern from Kagome and the others though they were heard. He couldn't take his eyes off of the lifeless body in front of him. His wolf, bleeding from the arrow wound, laid there unmoving. He tried to push himself up to check on him when the pain in his arm made itself known.

"Agh...Gods..."

Inuyasha held the gash in his arm and pulled away, red liquid dripping from his palms to the grass.

"Inuyasha! You ok?" Shippou ran over and dropped down to examine the hanyou's wounds. "Your wounds aren't too bad. You're lucky we were able to catch up."

"Ho...How did you find me?"

Kagome came to Inuyasha's side, first aid kit ready.

"All of us were supposed to go on a picnic today remember? When Shippou told us that you had run off into the woods, we went looking. We saw you from the sky."

Sango and Miroku came over to them with an obvious concern on their faces. Miroku was the first to speak.

"Inuyasha, I don't sense the demon's presence anymore. I've placed wards around the area in case anyone tries to bring him back. Ma---"

"What about Kouga?"

Everyone's eyes widened to the size of saucers at the mention of the fallen wolf demon. They focused their gaze beyond them on Kouga and Ginta.

Kagome touched his good shoulder "Inuyasha, I don't thi---"

She was cut off as Inuyasha jumped to his feet and ran best he could towards the wolf prince. Ginta quickly moved out of the way seeing him and held up a hand.

"Inuyasha..."

"Shut it Ginta! All of you! Just...Just go. Leave me alone with him."

After a few seconds of deliberation, they all walked a good distance from the two and turned away. Inuyasha looked back toward his beloved.

"Hey Kouga...I know you can hear me. Please wake up. I have so much to tell you. After you left me I lost myself. I wanted to die. The only thing keeping a little of my sanity was the thought of you."

He looked back towards the others who still had their back turned.

"Kouga. I...I...I LOVE YOU KOUGA! Please! Wake up! You stupid wolf! Don't leave me again!"

He collapsed on his still chest, the tears coming freely now. He didn't care what the others would say about this uncharacteristicness. He just wanted his wolf to wake up. He continued until he heard the barely audible hiss at the sharp intake of breath. Inuyasha jerked his head up to stare straight into pale blue eyes.

"As comfortable as my chest is, I can't breathe." Kouga let out a breathless cough in emphasis.

Inuyasha got up too qucikly and almost lost his balance. He turned and folded his arms across his chest. His disposition switched back into his usual 'tough-guy' exterior. On the inside though, he was worrying over if Kouga had heard him or not. He prayed to whatever god that would listen to him that Kouga hadn't heard his avowal. His thoughts were interrupted by the wolf's deep voice.

"Inuyasha. I heard what you said."

Said hanyou cursed under his breath at whatever higher being that had decided to screw him over. He turned, mask still up.

"Yeah. And? I was just saying it to make you wake up."

"Inuyasha, you don't have to hide your feelings. You see," Kouga moved closer, reaching out to stroke Inuyasha's cheek, "I feel the same."

Seeing those golden eyes widen, he crushed his lips to the hanyou's. Ignoring the muted noises of disgust from Shippou, they deepened the kiss and pressed close together. Any doubts Inuyasha had towards the gods were later taken back as he lay near his new koibito.

--End--

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Thank you everyone who read and/or reviewed! This was my first fanfic actually completed and it turned out better than I thought. Sorry for the super late update though. I had been writing and rewriting this last chapter for the longest trying to get it to sound right. There might be an epilogue in the near future and/or a rewrite of a few chapters. Again, thanks everyone. Happy Holidays and lovely New Years to you all!


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